Staff Attorney (Domestic Violence Advocacy Project)
Position Summary
New Hampshire Legal Assistance (NHLA) seeks a Domestic Violence Advocacy Project (DVAP) Staff Attorney based in our Manchester office. We are open to a hybrid work arrangement.
NHLA is a statewide organization and the DVAP Staff Attorney will be responsible for handling work throughout New Hampshire, with a Central/Southern New Hampshire (Belknap, Merrimack, and Hillsborough Counties) focus.
The DVAP Staff Attorney will provide holistic and trauma-informed representation to victims/survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking who have low income, including significant work with immigrant and refugee victims/survivors. Representation focuses on civil protective orders and divorce and parenting matters, with occasional work on other civil legal needs experienced by victims and survivors. The DVAP Staff Attorney will also be responsible for community engagement and education, including building partnerships with culturally specific community groups, crisis center, courts, and police departments.
NHLA has a remote work policy, and as noted above, will consider a mix of remote and on-site work for both Staff Attorneys. All NHLA staff members are provided with the necessary equipment (such as laptop computers) to work from their homes. Candidates should keep in mind that NHLA is a statewide organization and extensive travel throughout New Hampshire is a requirement of the position. Occasional travel out of state, for example to national conferences, is anticipated. Travel reimbursement including mileage is provided.
NHLA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building a diverse staff that reflects the communities of low-income and older (age 60 plus) people NHLA works alongside, and we value equity and inclusion in our workplace. NHLA actively seeks applications from Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, people of diverse national origin, the LGBTQ community, people with disabilities, older adults, veterans, people who have lived experience with poverty, and other people belonging to communities that have historically experienced injustice.
Duties:
- Advise and represent victim/survivor clients in civil protective order cases, divorce and parenting cases, and occasionally in other case types;
- Implement NHLA’s holistic, client-centered approach to civil legal aid, including providing trauma-informed representation (training is provided) and providing culturally-competent representation (training is provided);
- Engage with allied community organizations, including presenting community education programs;
- Participate as an active member of the staff member’s assigned office, including a mix of remote work and on-site work.
Position Salary/Benefits:
This is a full-time position. Full-time is defined as 37.5 hours per week. This position is considered exempt for the purpose of federal wage/hour law.
The anticipated salary for the position depends on prior law-related work experience, expected to range from $57,065 per year (for candidates with 0 years of prior law-related work experience) to $66,913 per year (for candidates with 5 years of prior law-related work experience). The position is eligible for the NHLA employee benefits package including medical/dental insurance, retirement plan, and generous paid time off.
About NHLA:
NHLA is a nonprofit law firm working to make justice a reality for and with people who experience economic hardship that threatens their basic needs. Through representation and systemic advocacy, NHLA offers civil legal aid that addresses the effects and root causes of poverty. As a full-service firm, NHLA’s offerings include basic legal information; personalized legal advice and counsel; and representation in all of New Hampshire’s courts and before many local, state, and federal administrative agencies. NHLA is a cornerstone New Hampshire nonprofit celebrating our 52nd year of operation.
Qualifications and Competencies:
- Law degree and license to practice in New Hampshire, or eligibility for admission on motion.
- Ability to travel extensively within New Hampshire.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively within a team.
- Commitment to and interest in expanding knowledge about domestic violence, poverty, and access to justice.
- Current technology skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 and Adobe.
- Experience working alongside NHLA’s client communities and/or experience working with victims/survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking a plus.
- Ability to speak Spanish or another language in addition to English a plus.
How to Apply:
Please send your resume with a cover email summarizing your interest in the position and your qualifications to: officemanager@nhla.org. A separate cover letter is not required in addition to the cover email. We strongly encourage you to apply via email rather than using a third-party application service.
In your cover email, please tell us why you are interested in this position and summarize your qualifications. Please also provide the following information:
- If you are not presently admitted to practice in New Hampshire, your plan for seeking admission. Please note that NHLA will reimburse newly-admitted attorneys for the cost of admission, up to $725.00.
- In light of your current commitments, your preferred timeline for beginning work with NHLA should you accept an offer of employment with our firm.
- Anything that will help us communicate respectfully with you, including your pronouns, the pronunciation of your name, any communication access needs or reasonable accommodations requested during the hiring process, or any other relevant information.
Application Process and Timeline:
NHLA will appoint an Interview Committee including 2-3 NHLA staff members and the NHLA Human Resources Manager. NHLA occasionally asks people who are not NHLA staff members to serve on an Interview Committee.
We expect the Interview Committee to conduct first interviews with no more than 5 candidates. Interviews are 45 minutes in duration and typically scheduled between 9 AM and 5 PM on weekdays. We can accommodate
other scheduling preferences if necessary. Candidates selected for first interviews will receive a list of the interview questions at least 24 hours in advance. No other questions will be asked at the interview, but it is possible that not all questions will be asked if we run out of time. We will leave at least 10 minutes for candidate questions at the conclusion of the interview. For candidates who speak a language other than English, a portion of the interview may be conducted in that language, with interpretation provided for other participants as needed.
The Interview Committee will recommend no more than 2 finalist candidates to the Executive Director for second interviews. Second interviews are 30 minutes or shorter in duration and typically scheduled between 9 AM and 5 PM on weekdays. We can accommodate other scheduling preferences if necessary. The Executive Director may conduct the second interview alone or with 1 other NHLA staff member, who may be a member of the Interview Committee. Questions are not provided in advance for second interviews. We will leave at least 10 minutes for candidate questions.
After the second interview, we will ask a single finalist candidate to provide 3 references and a brief writing sample of no more than 10 pages. We will contact the 3 references as quickly as possible, asking all references the same questions. Candidates with disabilities who wish to request reasonable accommodations should they be offered the position are invited to request them, in writing, at this stage of the process.
Based on information gathered in the entire hiring process, we will make an offer to a single candidate with salary and benefits information. The offer is contingent on completion of a criminal record background check as well as a records check through the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services State Registry. Not all criminal records are disqualifying.
Once a candidate has accepted the position, we will notify all candidates who had a first interview (or a first and second interview) that they have not been selected for the position.
Please note that NHLA does not expect to receive thank you notes from candidates selected for first or second interviews and does not place any weight in the hiring process on receiving (or not receiving) thank you notes.